QUICK NEWS, 4-14: EAARTH – TOO BIG TO FAIL; WIND TO BUILD ITS OWN WIRES; OCEAN POWER FROM THE DEEP; EV CHEVY VOLT PASSING TESTS

EAARTH – TOO BIG TO FAIL
Can earth survive climate change? Author McKibben sees a chance
April 7, 2010 (USA Today)

"Bill McKibben…long-time environmentalist and author of more than a dozen books, first warned about global warming -- then called the "greenhouse effect" -- in 1989 with The End of Nature, which he says was largely a philosophical argument…In contrast, his new book, Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet (Henry Holt/$24)…is a dire, frightening call to action. It talks about the planet melting, drying, acidifying , flooding and burning in heretofore unseen ways."

[From the book:] "The world hasn't ended, but the world as we know it has -- even if we don't quite know it yet…It's a different place. A different planet. It needs a new name…Eaarth…"

click thru to buy the book

"…McKibben sees a slight chance we could still save the planet…[With luck and commitment]…it may be possible in several decades to bring the planet's carbon dioxide levels -- now nearly 390 parts per million -- back to what climate scientist James Hansen says is the maximum safe level -- 350 parts per million…That's why he and a handful of students at Middlebury College, where he's a scholar in residence, started the grassroots group, 350.org, last year to raise awareness and press for political action…

"…[The first thing needed is a national and international law that puts a cap on carbon and raises its price]…Such a bill, pushed by President Obama, is now pending in the U.S. Senate…[McKibben says] Everyone has to keep voting for politicians who will raise the price of gasoline high enough to cause most of us to park our cars and take the bus…McKibben says Obama has done more to fight climate change than all presidents before him but…Obama's administration still falls ‘way short’ of what needs to happen…"

click thru for more about 350

"He chides New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, author of the best-selling Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need A Green Revolution for suggesting that a new green economy will save us. While he agrees in the need for solar and wind power, McKibben says green growth alone won't do it -- the planet is too far gone. (He also pokes fun at Friedman's 11,000 square foot Maryland home.)…Rather, he says, people need to accept a future of less growth and less consumption.

"He says he understands why people don't want to believe in climate change. He says they're addicted to fossil fuels, and to maintain that addiction, the oil and coal industries are spending a lot of money to spread ‘disinformation’ about global warming…What gives him some optimism is the young generation's intrinsic understanding of the world's interconnectedness, fostered by…social networking…[and the Internet]…"


WIND TO BUILD ITS OWN WIRES
…Chicago-based energy company plans 2 more wind farms in Great Falls, Mont., area
April 12, 2010 (AP via ABC News)

"…Invenergy Wind Development LLC spokesman Mark Jacobson said the company expects to begin construction on new wind farms near Belt and Cut Bank [in Montana] in two to five years…[and] has agreed to help Tonbridge Power Co. of Toronto develop a 100-mile transmission line called the Green Line between Great Falls and a major [nearby] east-west transmission line…

"Under the agreement, Invenergy will invest in the early development of the line and pay Tonbridge to ship 350 megawatts of power. Invenergy will receive transmission credits to repay its investment."

Invenergy built the Judith Gap project in south central Montana. (click to enlarge)

"Jacobson would not say how much Invenergy will contribute to toward the development, but Tonbridge CEO Robert van Beers called Invenergy's commitment a ‘tremendous boost’ to the project [which will allow it to proceed]…"

The Green Line will be a southern extension of the Montana Alberta Tie Line. (click to enlarge)

"Invenergy is the second anchor shipper Tonbridge has lined up for the Green Line, behind Gaelectric of Ireland…Invenergy and Gaelectric have reserved a combined 850 megawatts on the line. Gaelectric has previously said its 500 megawatts worth of wind energy will come from [Montana] projects planned [farther] east…

"The Green Line would be a southern extension of Tonbridge's Montana Alberta Tie Line, a transmission project that will connect the electrical grids of the United States and Canada…"


OCEAN POWER FROM THE DEEP
The Third Form of Ocean Power; You’ve heard of tidal and wave. Now the DOE and Lockheed want to tackle 100-year-old ocean thermal.
Oso Oseguera, April 13, 2010 (Greentech Media)

"It's a form of energy that's been around for a century, doesn't emit carbon dioxide and won't run out. But will Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) really work?

"The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has given Lockheed Martin two grants totaling $1 million to begin to look at ways to generate electricity from the clash that occurs when chilly water from 2,000 feet below the ocean surface comes in contact with surface water."

click to enlarge

"With a sufficient temperature difference (~40° F) between the warm upper layer and the cold deep water, net power (power generated after subtracting the power needed to run the system) can be produced…Many attempts have been made to develop and refine OTEC technology. In 1881..in 1930…The United States became involved in OTEC research in 1974…Hawaii is often said to be the best U.S. location for OTEC, due to the warm surface water, excellent access to very deep, very cold water, and because Hawaii has the highest electricity costs in the U.S…

"Lockheed Martin's experience with OTEC technology dates back to 1979…Mini-OTEC… remains the world's only floating OTEC system to generate power beyond what is required for sustaining itself…"

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"Sea Water-based Air Conditioning (SWAC), which uses cold seawater near coastlines to supply air-conditioner coolant, could significantly reduce electric utility loads during high summer demand periods. In contrast to OTEC, SWAC is a proven technology currently used in Hawaii, Stockholm and Ottawa…Is OTEC more than a promise?

"Three types of basic OTEC processes exist: closed-cycle, open-cycle, and hybrid-cycle…[A]n OTEC plant could cost $150-250 million…Lockheed Martin is looking to install a pilot plant in the range of 5-10 MW…But first, Lockheed Martin will invest the initial grant funds to develop a tool to estimate how much energy can be extracted from the ocean's thermal layers…This information would let decision-makers evaluate the future of OTEC…Lockheed Martin is not alone on this research. Countries like France, Sweden, Tahiti, Taiwan and Japan are also doing their best…"


EV CHEVY VOLT PASSING TESTS
GM: Electric Chevrolet Volt meeting range goals
Tom Krisher, April 12, 2010 (AP)

"Real-world tests show that General Motors Co.'s rechargeable electric car can travel 40 miles on battery power as promised, company engineers said…

"Engineers are testing six Volts that recently were made on a Detroit assembly line, driving them at the company's proving ground and on roads around Detroit…[Tweaks remain]…but the Volt is on schedule for full production in November…"

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"The Volt, which has a 1.4-liter gas engine that kicks on when the [Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are depleted, is due in showrooms in December…Later this month, GM also will start making test versions of a similar car for Europe called the Opel Ampera. It will be distributed in Europe as a 2012 model…

"…[Chief engineer Andrew] Farah said he got 41.5 miles and 42.5 miles on his last two electric cycles of the Volt, which he said were under normal driving conditions running errands to buy tax preparation software, basketballs and baked goods…The car will get about 50 miles per gallon when the gas engine turns on to generate electricity to power the electric motor…[depending] on weather, terrain and driving habits and can vary 20 percent up and down…[It] will have a lower range when the batteries have to heat the passenger compartment in colder climate…[T]he gasoline engine will add more than 300 miles to the Volt's range, but [GM will not] say how many gallons the gas tank will hold. Under both full-electric and gasoline engine power, the car will get about 230 miles per gallon…"

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"…[GM] will spend $8 million to double the size of its suburban Detroit lab…to centralize its battery testing and do tests in-house…The expansion will also allow GM to do safety and abuse tests, manufacturing engineering, charger development and heat tests…[A]reas in the lab that were previously used for engine testing will be renovated for battery development…Construction will start this month and the expanded lab is set to open this summer…About 1,000 engineers now work on electric vehicle development at GM, and the company has 40 to 50 openings…

"GM won't officially say the price of the Volt, but it's believed to be around $35,000…[T]hey are working to reduce the price as battery technology improves and becomes cheaper…It will take eight-to-10 hours to recharge a Volt from a standard 110-volt home outlet, but that can be cut to four hours with an optional 220-volt charging box that will have to be installed in an owner's garage…[GM is also] looking into a version of the Volt with the backup engine powered by natural gas."